Relays with interlocking armatures



y 1948. J.H. HQRMAN 2,441,633

RELAYS WITH INTERLOCKING ARMATURES Filed Sept. 5, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l i 5. .E. 1 \NVENTOR Jay/v flo /74m ATTORNEYS' y 1948. J. H. HORMAN 2,441,633

RELAYS WITH INTERLOCKING ARMATURES Filed Sept. s, 1946 2 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Joy/v /7 Hop/WAN ATTORNEY5 Patented May 18, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,441,633 RELAYS WITH INTERLOCKING ARMATURES John H. Horman, Tuckahoe, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Allied Control Company, Inc., a corporation of New York Application September 5, 1946, Serial No. 695,019

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to relays.

In certain types of relays, two armatures are used to control two different sets of electrical circuits. It is often desirable that one set of circuits be kept closed and the other set of circuits kept open with the relay de-energized and that the closed circuits be opened prior to the closing of the open circuits upon energization of the relay.

An object of this invention is a simple, inexpensive and efii'cient two-armature relay in which, with the relay de-energized, one armature is locked in closed position and the remaining armature is locked in open positio and in which upon energization of the relay to close the open armature, the locking means for both alrmatures are released and subsequently the armature looking arrangement is first reversed upon movement thereof until the relay is again energize-d,

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a relay embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end view of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

A supporting bracket I is composed of two non-magnetic metal plates formed with feet having apertures in which attaching bolts or screws may be located. The bracket I0 supports two relays I2, each of which is of the construction shown and claimed in the co-pending application of Kircher et al., Serial No, 677,661, filed June 19, 1946, now abandoned. Each relay l2 includes a substantially U-shaped frame I3, the base of which is formed. with attachment lugs M which engage the bracket l8 and have tapped apertures receiving bolts l passing through the bracket ID to attach the frame to the bracket. Each frame l3 supports a magnetic metal core l6 around which is arranged an energizing coil l1. A plate l8 of insulating material is supported by each frame l3 and is provided with an aperture receiving the end of the core IS. The plate 18 also supports one or more pairs of spaced contacts l9 and 20. A. magnetic metal armature 2| is pivotally supported by each frame l3 in overlying relation to the end of the core l6. Each armature 2| carries a bar 22 f insulating material and resilient metal arms 23 are fixed at one end to the insulating material plate I 8 and at their other ends are provided with contacts 24 2 located between the contacts l9 and 20. The arms 23 engage the bar 22 to bias the armature 2| away from the core I6.

'A pin 25 is supported between lugs 26 formed on the bracket Ill and is located above the frames I3. A magnetic metal rocker 21 is provided with ears 21a through which a pin 25 passes to pivotally support the rocker. Each end of the rocker 21 is turned downwardly to form a flange 28 and the location Of each flange 28 relative to the pin 25 is such that the end of the corresponding armature lies in the path of movement of the flange 28 when the armature is in its open position but lies nearer to the pin 25 than the path of the flange 28 when the armature is in its closed position. A resilient clip 29 is attached to the bar 22 with an inwardly extending portion 3|] overlyin the end of the armature in spaced relation thereto and terminating in a downwardly extending flange 3|. A projection 32 is provided at each end of the rocker 21 for engagement by the flange 3| under the conditions hereinafter pointed out. In mounting the rocker 21 on the pin 25, one armature 2| is held in closed position to permit the corresponding flange 28 to overlie the outer face thereof as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Assuming the relay is in the condition shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the right-hand armature 2| is locked in closed position by the right-hand flange 28 with the contact 24 engaging contact 20. The left-hand armature is held in open position by engagement of the flange 3| of the left-hand clip 29 with the left-hand. projection 32 and the lefthand contacts 24 engage the left-hand contacts |9. The rocker 21 cannot be rotated counterclockwise a sufficient extent to release the righthand armature 2| because the left-hand armature 2| is in the path of the left-hand flange 28. This condition prevails without continued energization of the right-hand coil |1. Energization of the left-hand coil H with the right-hand coil l1 de-energized swings the rocker 21 counterclockwise to disengage the left-hand projection 32 from the left-hand clip flange 3| and then engage the bottom end of the left-hand flange 28 with the top edge of the left-hand armature 2| without releasing the right-hand armature 2| i rom engagement with the right-hand flange 28. Energization of the left-hand coil |1 also swings the left-hand armature 2| clockwise with the result that after a predetermined time interval, the top edge of the left-hand armature 2| moves out of engagement with the left-hand flange 28 thereb permitting further counterclockwise rotation of the rocker 21 to disengage the right-hand flange 28 from the right-hand armature 2| allowing the latter to open. After opening of the right-hand armature 2|, the flange 3| of the right-hand clip 29 engages the right-hand projection 32 to hold the right-hand armature in open position. Upon closing of the left-hand armature 2l, the left-hand flange 28 overlies the left-handvarmature 2i to-.-lock it in; closed position. The closing of the left-hand armature 2| disengages the left-hand contacts 24 from the left-hand contacts l9 and engages the left-handcontacts" 24 with the left-handcQnta-cts -2B,-,while the opening of the right-hand armature 2| disengages the right-hand contacts:24 :from-tha right-hand contacts 20 andengagestheright hand contacts 24 with the right-hand contacts 19. The right-hand armatureil is not released;

until after the left-hand armature 2| has moved sufficiently to disengage the left-hand contacts 24 from the left-hand contacts I9. This condition; prevails; without con-tinue d energization, of the left-hand coil-J1 untilthezright-hand .coil l "I is energized with the left-hand coil ll whereupon reverse-operation is effected- I Claim 1. A relay wof the. characteiwdescribedcompris ingahnen-magnetic metal bracket;- a-pair of op- 4 posed eleotromagnets supported by said bracket, a pivoted armature associated with each electromagnet, a magnetic metal rocker supported by said bracket in overlying relation to said magnets and armatures, and a flange at each end of said rocker engageable with the edge of the corresponding armature when in open position to limit rotation of said rocker andkengageablewith the face of said armature when in closed position to lock the armature in closed position.

endof said rocker, and a clip carried by each are mature for engagementwith a rocker projection in the open-position ofthe armature.-

J OHN H. HORMAN; 

